


Buy a Trance-Dream of Mr Wines

by LokiumO2



Category: Fallen London | Echo Bazaar
Genre: Feast of the Exceptional Rose (Fallen London), Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:28:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiumO2/pseuds/LokiumO2
Summary: I'm not a native English speaker. Please feel free to make suggestion and help me polish the translation.
Relationships: Player Character (Fallen London)/Mr Wines (Fallen London)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Buy a Trance-Dream of Mr Wines](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26010514) by [LokiumO2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiumO2/pseuds/LokiumO2). 



> I'm not a native English speaker. Please feel free to make suggestion and help me polish the translation.

**An Arranger of Nuptial Phantasies**

A Shopkeeper in a Viric Suit offers to sell you a reverie of lasting love. Each purchase buys you three trance-dreams. A seeming-lifetime, packed into the corners of sleep!

**Buy a trance-dream of Mr Wines**

You've tasted trance-dreams of many kinds. There seems to be a secret menu.

**Haute Couture**

Even the most hopeless addicts won't spend more time in honey-dens than you in your viric dreams. The shopkeeper has known your taste. And they don't mind chatting with their regulars. Sometimes you ask "Have you sampled it?" for advice. Also "What if I take three pills at a time?" "Could these crystals be polished as lenses?" These questions are generally answered with “You may try. I’m not responsible for any consequences.” Even when you ask "Do you sell your own trance-dream?" You’re not refused outright.

"I'm afraid you can't afford it." They hesitate, perhaps taking back words like "I’m quite expensive". That would be too much, wouldn't it?

You turn to talk about the dreams you've dreamed. The Cloaked Emissary in the Widow’s tales, the Master at your wedding to Jenny, and the eerie feeling of déjà vu. You praise that it is these details that make the texture of trance-dreams more true-to-life, while sometimes that certain figure is almost as vivid as the leading role -

The shopkeeper took your cue. "Yes, we've got the license. But later development is not yet consummate, therefore it’s not available to the public. Of course, it won't hurt to have a try if it pleases you. Although I can't guarantee the follow-up, it is feasible to make it start as you wish - what kind of wedding would fit your standings?

<redirect>

**Plan Your Wedding**

The shopkeeper used to fill forms. Now they’re using a notebook. “Please feel free to imagine. There's no need to worry about our abilities. We have the most extraordinary writers, thinkers and artists at your service.”

> (option 1)

**Mr Wines is a Master of the Bazaar. You are an outstanding citizen of London.**

Let fireworks light up the spires and ruins. Your wedding shall be grander than all the city festivals.

[GO](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261244/chapters/71855454)

> (option 2)

**Mr Wines is a Master of the Bazaar. You are the backbone of The Liberation of Night.**

You don’t always agree. But love precedes politics, transcends morality, and defies the law.

[GO](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261244/chapters/71856372)

> (option 3)

**Mr Wines is a Master of the Bazaar. You are the Ambassador appointed by Her Roseate Majesty.**

Golden honey and rosy attar, join like rivers in your holding hands.

[GO](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261244/chapters/71856714)


	2. Chapter 2

**Mr Wines is a Master of the Bazaar. You are an outstanding citizen of London.**

Let fireworks light up the spires and ruins. Your wedding shall be grander than all the city festivals.

**Model Millionaire, Devoted Friend, Ideal Husband**

“The highest order,” the shopkeeper makes notes while listening, and sums up your expectation when you finish, “Venue, the bigger the better; guests, the more the better. What else? Yes — the blessing. Based on our experience, it’s very conducive to happiness to hear good wishes, compliments and envy of your spouse from wedding guests.”

When the order is confirmed, the Shopkeeper asks for your address. “I guess it’s unnecessary to repeat the usage of pills and crystals. Besides, in appreciation of your recent patronage, we provide home delivery this time.”

**At the Edge of Sleep**

The first trance dream presents itself when you are almost asleep: an appealing side-alley you never noticed on a street you have often walked. Come this way; aren't you curious what lies at the end? Tinted a colour that is neither lime nor emerald, but something else again?

**Slide into the dream...**

The wedding begins.

**Yes. That is how it would be**

People look up at you. The poor look up from gutters of the Spite. The rich look up from the Bazaar Side-streets. Urchins look up from the summit of Flit. Scholars look up from the craters in the ruins.

For you're standing in the light. You cross your fingers with a Master, another hand pushing the door open along with his claw. Light spills over from the corridor behind you, as if a sun were decorated in the spire. They look up at you, because they’ve long forgotten such thing ever existed, so brilliant, so far away. Here you can almost touch the dome of Neath, and hear the gossip of the false-stars.

Then you walk down the stairs. The red-carpet cascades like blood. Closer guests are required to wear special goggles, otherwise their eyes might be destroyed in your celebration. Certainly, it's a great honour for Maywell's Hattery to become one of the sponsors. All necessary observation apparatus for the ceremony has been attached and delivered with invitation.

NEXT


	3. Chapter 3

**Mr Wines is a Master of the Bazaar. You are the backbone of The Liberation of Night.**

You don’t always agree. But love precedes politics, transcends morality, and defies the law.

**The Decadence of the Family, Private Property and Cities**

Experienced honey addicts share the knowledge that, visiting the Iron Republic, even if by dreams, is always unsafe. The shopkeeper hesitates when you request the Iron Republic as your wedding venue, and eventually replies, “I'll try my best.” That's good. Admittedly, it's a dangerous land. But what else can bring more passion than danger?

When the order is confirmed, the Shopkeeper asks for your address. “I guess it’s unnecessary to repeat the usage of pills and crystals. Besides, in appreciation of your recent patronage, we provide home delivery this time.”

**At the Edge of Sleep**

The first trance dream presents itself when you are almost asleep: an appealing side-alley you never noticed on a street you have often walked. Come this way; aren't you curious what lies at the end? Tinted a colour that is neither lime nor emerald, but something else again?

**Slide into the dream...**

The wedding begins.

**Yes. That is how it would be**

It takes longer than you expected to prepare the wedding, as the Jovial Contractarian has been very eager to help. You'd actually be happy to take his advice, if it weren't for the fact that he's always coming up with endless new advice. Finally, on a certain day that in most respects is close to common sense, your wedding begins.

Approximately half the Calendar Council attends, Contractarian included. Although he claims that he prefers to be here in the superposition state of both presence and absence. “But someone told me the current technology of Iron Republic couldn’t make a cat both alive and dead. Truly, there are still things in the world that even red science cannot do.” He signs, “The third road is the hardest to go.” Is this also his opinion on your marriage with a Master?

Your peers send their best wishes to you. Many greet Mr Wines out of courtesy, some ignore it intentionally or not. At least, no one is silly enough to assassinate a newlywed at the wedding. Everything is fine except that you get drunken too soon. It’s not clear whether some law alters the rate of alcohol metabolism, or you really drink too much before realizing it. You sit on the festooned vehicle, parading through squares and streets. You feel dizzy in the sound and the fury, maybe it is the sky spinning and ground flipping. You can’t tell. Faintly you hear someone addressing you, the figure standing beneath a high wall, the voice coming from far away. “May your love be like the wall, remain constant however world changes.”

NEXT


	4. Chapter 4

**Mr Wines is a Master of the Bazaar. You are the Ambassador appointed by Her Roseate Majesty.**

Golden honey and rosy attar, join like rivers in your holding hands.

**The Sempiternal Roses of Heliogabalus**

“Concerning the geography of Parabola, I wouldn’t suggest setting the wedding venue in Abror.” The shopkeeper frowns, “Honestly, it’s beyond my ability to predict the consequences of making Arbor intersect Trance-Dream. Would you consider a less risky option? Like Royal Bethlehem Hotel? We’ll make sure to recapture the Arbor experience as much as we can.” You take their advice. They reply with a relieving smile. “Sure, I heard that was a good place for honeymoon.”

When the order is confirmed, the Shopkeeper asks for your address. “I guess it’s unnecessary to repeat the usage of pills and crystals. Besides, in appreciation of your recent patronage, we provide home delivery this time.”

**Slide into the dream...**

The wedding begins.

**Yes. That is how it would be**

The grand hall of Royal Bethlehem Hotel has been redecorated. “Romanesque”, they said, catering to the taste of Mr Wines. You are not sure what exactly the Romanesque upholstery is, even the art history professors in Summerset College can’t make it clear. Reliable historical resource is too little. Yet your spouse seems contended. Perhaps some people down here still remember what Roman is like. They must be very useful, and valuable, as some kind of walking history, whether they can still walk or not.

The Manager not only approved of the great refurbishment project, but also offer to officiate your wedding. “How many loves I have witnessed since the first love story was written! Seldom am I touched like today —” He does very good job, advancing the process methodically, livening up the atmosphere with ease.

Finally, when the guests are all fed and drunk, confusing mirror image with their double vision, sky revolves above the banquet table, as it revolved for the Golden House, bathing the Palatine Hill with rich fragrance. Rose petals falling like flood, drown the living’s rosy cheeks. Ah! Arbor! Something familiar strikes you before you are awakened by suffocation. It reminds you of Arbor. It’s a dream! It is. You turn around looking for your love in your last breath. The storm eye of panic and fear seats Mr Wines decorously, as if it was a throne.

It meets your eyes. It smiles.

You reach out for it. Can you seize the moment?

You wake up.


End file.
